The Civil Guard and the A21 Association sign an operational action protocol to strengthen the fight against trafficking in human beings

The Civil Guard and the A21 association have signed an operational action protocol for the protection of victims of trafficking in human beings. The purpose of this protocol is to reinforce the collaboration framework between the General Directorate of the Civil Guard and A21, regarding coordination for the protection and accompaniment of victims of trafficking in human beings.

During the signing of this protocol, the General Director of the Corps, María Gámez, stressed that the Civil Guard has as one of its main objectives the protection of the most vulnerable groups and the fight against trafficking in human beings. In order to fight this crime, it is essential to focus the first actions on the early detection of victims and on their identification as such.

On the other hand, María Gámez has insisted that investigative work is very important to obtain evidence that allows traffickers to be convicted, thus breaking the criminal dynamics of organized groups and preventing them from operating again, capturing and exploiting new victims. For this, the Civil Guard cooperates with other external agents who can provide information and collaborate synergistically in these processes, as is the case of A21 with which it has been collaborating for some time.

This year is being special due to the consequences of the pandemic, a situation that has affected the most vulnerable victims the most. For this reason, as explained by the Director General, the Civil Guard reinforced during its state of alarm its preventive inspections in places at risk of exploitation. Investigations into trafficking in human beings have also been strengthened, which has allowed the release of numerous victims and the arrest of the perpetrators of these criminal acts. In addition, the Civil Guard intervened in forced marriage and other human trafficking operations.

A21 is an international organization that has been working for more than ten years fighting against human trafficking around the world. A21 currently operates in twelve countries and with fourteen offices around the world.

A21's work is based on three main strategies: reaching, through awareness and education; rescue, training professionals who could come into contact with both potential victims and perpetrators of crime; restore, through the provision of residential resources.

The Civil Guard and A21 will collaborate by sharing information that they consider of interest to their respective areas of responsibility. They will also work to promote awareness and prevent the phenomenon of trafficking in human beings, through campaigns and dissemination through the respective communication resources. In addition, joint training activities such as workshops, seminars, courses will be designed and organized, and manuals, guides, brochures, etc. will be developed and disseminated.

A21 has been collaborating with the Civil Guard in a very active way, providing information on acts of trafficking in human beings that have given rise to investigations and, above all, coordinating and mediating with other NGOs to respond to needs in the protection and assistance to victims of trafficking in human beings and exploitation released in the operations carried out by different units of the Corps.

As part of this collaboration, last year, the Civil Guard and A21 presented the “Passport to indicators of trafficking” campaign, distributing a brochure in which the main indicators of trafficking in human beings were simply presented, so that victims can recognize in them and they can become aware of their circumstances. With a passport format and in nine languages, it was distributed by the Civil Guard in the framework of inspections in particularly sensitive points such as farms in agricultural areas or hostess clubs, among others.